Bullpen candidate profile: Carlos Gutierrez

Carlos Guterriez was taken by the Twins late in the first round of the 2008 draft. He had been the closer for the Miami Hurricanes, a rather limited-inning role prompted by his limited array of pitches and Tommy John surgery earlier in his collegiate career.

His numbers in the Twins system aren't impressive, but they've been skewed by development issues. He's done a lot of starting, both to give him innings and to force him to develop some secondary pitches to complement his sinking fastball. He walks a few more than the Twins would like; he doesn't have a strikeout pitch.

But he does have the good sinker, and he has a future. But he and Kyle Waldrop are very similar in style, and Waldrop has been more successful so far. I suspect that at least one of them will get a callup at some point this season. Right now, I would say Waldrop deserves the first shot.